Dietary patterns are associated with premenstrual symptoms: a cross-sectional study among women from Central Europe

To date, only a few studies have examined the relationship between dietary patterns and premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and these have been limited to Asian populations with inconclusive results, while studies in European populations are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the associations between dietary patterns and the severity of PMS in young women from a European population. This cross-sectional study included 609 women aged 18-35 years. Premenstrual symptoms and their severity were assessed using the validated Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool, dietary intake data were collected using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire, and dietary patterns were determined via K-means clustering of 13 food groups. Three dietary patterns (DPs) were identified: Healthy-DP, Western-DP, and Low-food-DP (characterized by low consumption of all food groups). In the multivariable-adjusted logistic regression model, compared with the Healthy-DP, women adhering to the Western-DP had significantly higher odds of being classified into the Severe-PMS group (OR:2.35, 95%CI:1.02-5.44). Similarly, those following the Low-food-DP had higher odds of both Moderate-PMS (OR:2.92, 95%CI:1.09-7.84) and Severe-PMS (OR:3.01, 95% CI:1.14-7.92). These findings highlight potential associations between dietary patterns and PMS severity; however, due to the cross-sectional design of the study, no causal conclusions can be drawn.